Category: Core Values

  • Ability And Confidence

    Ability And Confidence

    Let’s break down ability and confidence. Photograph Compliments Of Alena Jarret Ability Let’s define ability: Ability represents capability and capacity. There is power, command, and proficiency in your physical and mental energies implementing authority over your instrument. Your talents are what you have attained; you have achieved these skills. Those abilities reflect what you have…

  • Artistic Productivity And Creative Insight

    Artistic Productivity And Creative Insight

    How can we boost our artistic productivity and develop creative insight? I am constantly dealing with this challenge. There is a long list of projects in the docket. Even though I am not the most renowned of artists, I am creatively profuse. The following are priority questions that facilitate artistic productivity and creative insight. Key…

  • It Ain’t Over Till The Fat Lady Sings

    It Ain’t Over Till The Fat Lady Sings

    It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. It’s not over till it’s over. The saying is a general colloquialism used in a great many references. That’s all I have to say about that. After passing from this world, how will you be remembered? Is that something that concerns you? Wouldn’t it be amazing if…

  • Practice and Rehearsal

    Practice and Rehearsal

    Practice and rehearsal are the defining exercises of improving creativity in your chosen art form.

  • A Call To Action

    A Call To Action

    It is important that you and I reach our full potential. Why? Because you and I matter, and what we do matters. It is the way we think, act and the path of our lives. I want to live to my fullest potential. How about you? A Philosopher Speaks Out How about this guy? Johann…

  • If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

    If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

    I have recently encountered circumstances which have put limitations on time. Time constraints – the worse, Man. My productivity has fallen and the thought crushes me. The results are showing up. What was once expanding and growing is now stagnant. It’s not that I’m not doing what I need to do, it’s that I don’t…

  • The Stories We Tell Ourselves

    The Stories We Tell Ourselves

    What is your story? How is your self-talk effecting your mindset? How is it carrying over into your personal life?

  • Mackncheeze Music Recipe Poisson Et Legumes

    Mackncheeze Music Recipe Poisson Et Legumes

    Simply – Fish and Vegetables Before I share the recipe, I have this to say… My heritage is from Alsace-Lorraine. Throw in a little German and Dutch, with a whole lot of French, and boom, there you have it. The result is my propensity for Gaulic Sensuality. This encompasses the total experience of the senses.…

  • Truth Is Simple?

    Truth Is Simple?

    Who and what To trust And The Simple Truth I know I can trust my cat. He knows exactly what he wants, when he wants it, and has no problem letting me know. I appreciate his forthrightness even though I’m often unable to figure out his motives. I can definitely depend on him and his…

  • Influences and Mentorship

    Influences and Mentorship

    A mentor is someone who instills a success oriented mentality in somebody else. Steve Jobs was Mark Zuckerberg’s mentor. Oprah Winfrey’s – poet and author, Maya Angelou. Woody Guthrie mentored Bob Dylan. American actress, dancer and singer, Chita Rivera was mentored by her former teacher, Doris Jones.  And the list goes on The concept of…

  • Art As A Process

    Art As A Process

    Life brings enormous challenges, some which might represent the distance between how things are and how we would like them to be. By implementing process I have learned to attain my goals. Putting aside distractions allows follow through. I work to accomplish daily objectives. We can take measures that help develop our attributes and capacities,…

  • Love and Relationships

    Love and Relationships

    We all know what love is. I won’t even pretend to know what is right for another person. I’m not even sure that the general rules of romantic relationships actually work for everyone. Each dynamic has its own set of particulars which may not even apply to another persons circumstance. Foundations Both love and relationships…

  • The Right Questions

    The Right Questions

    How Do I Know Who I Am? Are you searching for your identity? Curiosity is the key to understanding yourself. Asking questions leads to answers which in turn leads to more questions. The more specific the question, the more specific the answer, at least that’s the hope. The right questions lead to the right answers.…

  • Inspiration

    Inspiration

    Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts The Greeks considered the Muses, the daughters of Zeus, goddesses of creativity. They were the source of inspiration for multiple artistic undertakings. Is inspiration of divine nature, of mystical origin? I have learned that creating motion, capturing and utilizing process can enhance creativity. Creative inventiveness can be sourced from ideas which…

  • Spirituality

    Spirituality

    I think most all of us consider ourselves decent by nature. If we are suffering, it is only natural to seek a reason for that experience. Victor Frankl addresses this in his book “Man’s Search For Meaning”. How do we connect to our environment? Why do circumstances happen the way they do? What is the…

  • Gratitude

    Gratitude

    I have spoken to many people who have great levels of success and one of the most predominate statements they make is of gratitude. They have appreciation for what they have, not necessarily dependent on monetary gain. Also, they speak of the path they have followed, the people in their lives and the circumstances they…

  • Criticism And Haters

    Criticism And Haters

    We all deal with it. Our art is very personal; it is an expression of the depths of our being. Criticism from others has torn me to shreds. Likewise, it has created feelings of inadequacy and anger. Someone else’s disapproval of my abilities impacts my self worth. Judging involves having an opinion on something, pointing…

  • Balance

    Balance

    I’ve heard of this concept called work/life balance. A friend of mine told me his employer taught the concept at an employee work shop. Turns out the job still required a maximum amount of commitment from the employees with little commitment from the employer. So much for balance, as long as the employer gets the…

  • What Is Imposter Syndrome?

    What Is Imposter Syndrome?

    So this morning, I’m listening to one of my favorite podcasts, and the podcast host starts talking about Imposter Syndrome. I’m, like, what is he talking about? I had never heard the term. I Had No Idea Evidently, Impostor Syndrome is a thought process where a person seconds guesses and may not even believe their abilities,…

  • Motivation

    Motivation

    Actually, that was my entire reason for getting involved in music, oh, and besides the fact that music constantly runs through my head. I think I was hoping for side benefits. Those benefits did materialize, whether that is a good thing was decided later. Defining success: confidence, proficiency, articulation, enjoyment. Those are underlying factors in…

  • Seven Examples Of Counting The Cost

    Seven Examples Of Counting The Cost

    What are you willing to give up to chase your dreams? If we want it badly, we have got to sacrifice. Obsession, it’s what we do regardless what is happening. First thing in the morning pounding it out. Last thing at night, getting the final two cents in. Priorities: Woody Allen: “80 percent of the…

  • Freedom

    Freedom

    Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. Or so the song goes. I chose to define freedom as this: I personally make more decisions for myself than my boss , my family, my government and my friends. Henry Thoreau said, A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he…

  • K.I.S.S.

    K.I.S.S.

    Keep It Simple Stupid I first learned of the K.I.S.S. concept in college jazz lab band. The professor, a horn player by the name of Bart, introduced the notion to soloists. I loved Bart; he was awesome. Evidently there are two ways to interpret K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid, or, Keep It Simple, Stupid. I…

  • Finding My Core Values

    Finding My Core Values

    I have been on a path of discovery. Since I have started blogging I have had to do a lot of inner searching. I understand that I need to be who I am and not try to fake my way through this process. Friends who read my blog have told me that that they can…